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March 12, 2012—A bill that would have required the state to continue paying for drugs used for mental illnesses, HIV/AIDS, cancer, and immunosuppressant drugs until 2016 died in the last days of the Legislature, blocked by the House and facing a veto threat from Governor Kitzhaber.

Republican Rep. Cedric Hayden continues to insist that a No vote on Measure 101 will force Democrats to close the door to using healthcare dollars for non-healthcare purposes, as well as adopt funding mechanisms that he prefers.

Financial analysis shows big sales by Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon, continued financial losses for Kaiser Permanente

The ballot measure would break up the partisan primaries and allow independents to vote in all elections. But a similar ballot measure was defeated in 2008 ,and union groups and the major parties are fighting back to keep the closed system.